Detecting the small signals of climate change for the most essential climate variables requires that satellite sensors make highly accurate and consistent measurements. Data gaps in the time series (such as possible launch delay or failure) or inconsistencies in radiometric scales between satellites undermine the credibility of the fundamental climate data records, and can lead to erroneous analysis in climate change detection. To address these issues, leading experts in the Earth Observation community from NASA, NOAA, USGS, and academia came together at the National Institute of Standards and Technology on December 10, 2009 for a workshop to prioritize strategies for bridging and mitigating data gaps in the climate record. This paper summarizes the priorities for variables relevant to climate change in the areas of atmosphere, land, and ocean measurements and the recommendations made at the workshop for overcoming gaps in the climate record.